Jump in shootings from ‘individuals with disputes’

Updated 12:42 am, Saturday, August 8, 2015

Charles Grady, right, director of Project Longevity, with Bridgeport Police Chief Joseph Gaudett, talks Friday about efforts to prevent city youths from engaging in violence on Friday, Aug. 7, 2015, during the first of what is promised to be weekly status meetings with area media. less

Charles Grady, right, director of Project Longevity, with Bridgeport Police Chief Joseph Gaudett, talks Friday about efforts to prevent city youths from engaging in violence on Friday, Aug. 7, 2015, during the ... more

BRIDGEPORT — Homicides in the city have doubled from last year and shootings have increased, but top police brass said Friday that gangs and drug wars aren’t the cause.

“We’re seeing a different pattern than in earlier years,” Bridgeport Police Chief Joseph Gaudett said at the first of what were promised to be weekly meetings with area media. “This is not gang-related. It’s individualized.”

Mental health issues have contributed to many of the city’s 10 official homicides so far in 2015, said Charles Grady, director of Project Longevity. “Someone off their meds, with access to a gun. ... Shootings are going to go up.”

Grady’s program identifies and intervenes in the lives of the city youths most likely to be the perpetrators — or the victims — of violence, and is working with 75 families to break the cycle of violence.

“We try to prevent retaliatory shootings,” Grady said.

Deputy Chief Adam Radzimirski said four of this year’s homicides may be gang-related. Of the others: “We’re trying to calm people down, but these are people with disputes we know nothing about. It’s one person with an issue with another person, and that’s how they chose to handle it.”

More Information

Crime in 2015

Bridgeport crime statistics, year to date compared to the same period in 2014

Crime

2015

2014

Murder

10

5

Shooting

incidents

41

35

Shooting victims

48

38

Rape

46

45

Robbery

253

297

Felony assault

43

92

Motor vehicle thefts

262

373

Source: Bridgeport Police

Rapes are up sharply this week, with six compared to one reported during the first week of August in 2014. As startling as that is, overall there have been 46 rapes this year in Bridgeport, compared to 45 during the same stretch last year, according to police.

Other serious categories of crime, including robbery, assault, burglary, larceny and car theft, are down sharply in the city, officials said.

There has been a recent uptick in thefts from parked autos, particularly downtown and in the Lindley Street area, Gaudett said. Police officials are homing in on categories of crime where there has been an increase, with more patrols and other measures.

Radzimirski said detectives are making good progress on all of the open homicide investigations, with forensic evidence forwarded to the State Police Crime Lab for analysis.

“The public is really interested in an arrest, and we are too,” the deputy chief said. “But we get one opportunity to bring these people to justice; there is double-jeopardy (protection) in this country. We want to present a solid case.”